Third Times The Charm
by amy.ward.906
Summary: Tara is dead, but Willow doesn't try and end the world. Instead she spirals into depression...who can bring her out of it? Someone shows up...someone from her past. Can this mystery person bring back the Willow we know and love?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy**

**A/N: Okay so here is my what if idea that starts right after Tara was killed. I am not sure if it will follow canon or not.**

Goddess, right now she wanted to cry…to scream…to do something.

Tara, her partner, her girl was dead. One bullet…one shot was all it took, to spray her blood…her life force, all over. She had it on her; her hands were covered in it as well as her shirt. She even had a little on her face.

Once Tara's body was taken away, Buffy and Xander had ushered her inside and upstairs into their room, but it wasn't theirs anymore. It was hers'.

She didn't want to be in here, to be reminded of Tara right now, because here she could still pretend. Here she could still imagine that Tara was alive, that it wasn't blood on her hands…that she and Tara just got carried away with painting or something.

But Tara was dead, pretending didn't bring her back. She had to leave the room, she needed to go outside. Outside she could breathe. Leaving the room, she shut the door behind her and walked downstairs almost mechanically. Not seeing Buffy or Xander she went out front, not out back.

Out back is where Tara's death was made, created, originated, fated…any and all of those words. Sitting out there on a porch swing she shivered. She could stand the cold though. Maybe if she got cold enough, she could die and be with Tara.

As she sat there, things blurred around her. Her mind went blank. She wasn't aware how long she sat there, but all she knew was that the next thing she saw was the sunrise and it was calling her name.

"Willow…Willow?"

Wait…the sun wasn't covered in blue…

"Willow…"

Her vision cleared and she saw she was looking at…

"Oz?"

**A/N: Yep Oz is back! Okay who loves me now for bringing him back?**

**A/N: Sorry if Willow seems like Buffy…her behavior I mean. I just think that if she could go Scary Veiny Willow then Depressed Can't Think Lose Touch with Reality Temporary Willow would work as well.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Willow…"

**Flash of Memories**

"_It's not every day you find out you're a werewolf."_

"_Yeah it's a complication."_

"_So maybe it'd be best if I just stayed out of your life for a while."_

"_I'm kind of okay with you being in my life, so I'd still if you'd still."_

"_I'd still, I'd very still."_

"_I'm gonna ask you to go out with me tomorrow night."_

"_Well, I'm gonna say yes."_

"_Do you wanna go out with me?"_

"_Oh I can't!"_

"_It's okay."_

"_It's just that it's Buffy's birthday. You could come."_

"_I don't wanna crash."_

"_You could be my date."_

"_All right, I'm in."_

"_I said date."_

"_Morning."_

"_Bad dream?"_

"_I guess, but the waking up part makes up for it."_

"_It's always so busy up there."_

"_Not always, a few things shut my brain up completely."_

"_Anything I can help you with?"_

"_Don't you love me?"_

"_My whole life I've never loved anything else."_

"_It was stupid to think you'd be just waiting."_

"_I was waiting. I feel like some part of me will always be waiting."_

**End of Memories**

Something was holding her hands. Willow looked at her hands, then at Oz.

"Oz…" She looked at him with teary filled eyes. Her emerald eyes looking like jade jewels submerged in water.

"I know." He brought himself to her height. Touching her face to wipe away a few tears, he realized she was cold, but also warm…she was sick.

"Willow do you feel alright?"

"She's gone."

He was losing her, "Willow, I'm here. Do you feel alright?"

"I'm cold, is she cold too?"

Oz took off his jean jacket, wrapped it around her and took her inside. Seeing Xander and Buffy, he nodded hello to them, before taking Willow upstairs to the room.

"No," she said in a whisper."

"Willow?"

"She…I can still…"

"Okay," Oz said, realizing how much pain Willow was going through by just entering that space. He moved her in a different direction. Entering a guest room, he laid Willow down and tucked her in. Kissing her brown and breathing in the essence that is Willow, he watched her as her eyes slowly closed.

Once she was asleep, he left the room, closing the door only partway behind him. Going down the stairs, he saw Xander at the bottom step. Giving him that man-type hug with one arm, he turned and was immediately smothered by a Slayer.

When she pulled back from hugging the werewolf, she said, "She's hurting Oz."

"Yeah," Oz said in his normal tone of voice.

"Thanks for coming."

"Well, Giles called me when he heard."

"The G-man knew where you were?"

"No, but he knew how to get in touch with me if necessary."

"This is necessary," Buffy said.

"Completely."

"How are you going to help Willow?" Xander asked.

"However I can."

"And then?" asked Buffy.

Oz wasn't sure about after Willow was better. He didn't know if he was going to leave again or if he was going to stick around this time. It all depended on how much Willow needed him…and if she wanted his love still or not.


	3. Chapter 3

_Willow: Tell me a story.  
__Tara:__ Okay. Once upon a time, there was, um... a kitty. She was very little, and she was all alone, and nobody wanted her.  
__Willow:__ This is a very upsetting story. _

_WILLOW TARA_

_Tara : Willow, you're using too much magic. What do you want me to do? Just sit  
back and keep my mouth shut?_

_Willow : That'd be a good start._

_Tara : If I didn't love you so damn much, I would._

_Willow : Tara –_

_WILLOW TARA_

_Willow: Tara, please. I need you baby. I need you. I don't need magic. I don't. Let me prove it to you, okay? I'll go a month without using magic. I won't do a single spell, I swear._

_Tara: Go a week. A week without magic._

_Willow : Fine, fine. That's easy._

_Tara: A week and then we'll see. I don't know. I think we both need some... I don't know, space. I can't believe I'm saying this. _

_Willow: You're saying you're gonna leave me?_

_WILLOW TARA_

_Tara: __ Things fall apart. They fall apart so hard.  
__Willow__: Tara?  
__Tara__: You can't ever put 'em back the way they were.  
__Willow__: Are you okay?  
__Tara__: I'm sorry, it's just... You know, it takes time. You can't just have coffee and expect...  
__Willow__: I know.  
__Tara__: There's just so much to work through. Trust has to be built again on both sides. You have to learn if - if we're even the same people we were. If you can fit in each others lives. It's a long and important process, and can we just skip it? C-Can you just be kissing me now? _

_WILLOW TARA_

_Willow: __When did morning happen?  
__Tara: __ After the moon went down. _

_WILLOW TARA_

_Tara __not immediately aware she's been shot, sees her blood on Willow_

_Tara__: Your shirt..._

**BANG!**

Willow jolted upright screaming her name, "TARA!" Her body trembling. She was suddenly surrounded by…

'_No´_ thinks Willow, _'No, he left'_

"Willow you're safe...It was just a dream, come back to me…focus…look at me…"

Looking at him, "Oz," she said her voice breaking. "She's gone, she's…"

"I know Will, I know." He just held her while she cried.

"Wait, what are you doing here?" Willow asked the werewolf, confused.

"Giles got in touch with me."

"Why?" She asked, wondering why Giles would contact Oz.

"He thought-

"He doesn't think! He doesn't know!" '_He doesn't understand…this is none of his business'_ thought Willow. The power surged through her, sparks of magic emerging from her fingertips, her red hair becoming darker as streaks of black color tipped its ends.

Giles warned Oz this might happen. He cupped her face in his hands. "Willow, focus on me."

"Oz…" she whispered, hearing his voice faintly as from a distance.

"That's it Wills," Oz said, hoping he was reaching her. "Come on."

She trembled as the magic receded, letting go of her. "It's my fault. This magic it-

"It's not your fault."

Willow started clawing at her skin," Get it out! GET IT OUT!" she screamed, raking her nails down her arms trying to dig the magic from herself but only leaving red marks on her pale skin, before Oz grabbed her wrists and pulled her against him.

Giles who had arrived early that morning, hearing the screams burst into the room. Seeing the situation, he pulled a syringe from his pocket.

"Oz hold her," he told the young man. Oz did so as Giles gave the sedative. As Willow succumbed to the drug, she found herself leaning against Oz. Her eyes slowly closed and she slipped into a deep slumber.

"Shh," Oz whispered. "Just rest Willow," he told the distraught Wicca. As soon as she was asleep, Oz picked her up in his arms and left the bedroom with Giles following him. They were stopped however, at the bottom of the staircase by Xander and Buffy.

"Where are you taking Willow?" Xander asked them.

"Sacramento," Giles told him. "I have a small private beach house down there where she can take the time to heal."

"She can heal here Giles." Buffy told her Watcher.

"You mean like you did?" Giles said to his Slayer, referring to the summer after she sent Angel to Hell.

Buffy looked at the ground, ashamed. She moved aside and so did Xander, but not before he leaned forward and kissed Willow on her temple. "Yellow crayon Willster," he whispered in his life-long friend's ear. Looking at Oz and Giles he told them, "You take care of her."

"Absolutely Alexander," The Watcher told the young man, while Oz nodded silently promising to take care of the woman they both loved. As Willow was loaded into Oz's van and driven off, Xander prayed to a god he wasn't sure he believed in anymore, not after everything they had been through. He prayed for this being to take care of his best friend and watch over her.

**A/N: I hope the ending of this chapter wasn't too mushy, but I think we all needed something sentimental. Also what Xander meant by Yellow Crayon is this. I'm sure everyone knows the yellow crayon story behind Xander and Willow. If not look it up or watch the end of Season 6, but anyway these two words are meant to give her strength to heal and come home.**


	4. Chapter 4

_One month later…_

Rising from her bed she went into the adjoining bathroom and splashed cool water on her face before looking at her reflection in the mirror. The person she saw staring back at her was someone she wanted to get rid of. Limp red hair and skin paler than normal, not to mention the green eyes that held none of their vibrant color with bags underneath that proved a reminder of many a sleepless night. If her nights were not sleepless then they were filled with nightmares that were always the same. Tara's death haunted her night after night.

Shaking her head to rid it of the thoughts that plagued her mind she grabbed a robe and slipped it on over her sleep set that consisted of a dark green camisole with matching pajama pants. Walking into the kitchen she grabbed the tea kettle from its place on the stove and filled it with water. Placing it back on the stove and waiting a few moments before hearing the shrill whistle that indicated the water being warm enough, she then took the kettle and poured some water into a mug. Placing the kettle back on the stove, she pulled a tea bag from a box in the cupboard and added it to the mug. Letting the tea bag soak in the water and the flavor seep for several minutes before removing the soggy bag and tossing it into the trash, she picked up the mug and put it to her nose breathing in the fruity scent of the Mandarin Orange Spice tea. Taking a sip, she left the kitchen and entered the living room, opening the sliding doors and leaving the house, stepping out onto the back porch as she watched the sun rise above the water. Remembering how much Tara loved the sunrise brought a few tears to her eyes.

"It's alright to remember," Willow heard Giles say from behind her. "Remembering her is one of the steps to healing."

"It hurts. I can't...

"Willow," Giles said to the witch.

"I can't help but think her death is my fault." Willow said before leaning into the hug Giles pulled her into, her tears wetting his shirt. After letting her cry for a few moments he made her face him. "Now you listen to me. The person responsible for Tara's death is not you. You are here to remember her. To remember, accept, heal and learn."

Willow nodded before picking up her cup of tea, which was growing cold, from the porch banister. Giles had brought her here for a kind of 12 step program, except there were only 4 steps. After almost a month here, she was close to starting the second step. Taking the young witch inside, where a cuddly wolf was waiting for her, Giles spoke to him, "Are you ready Oz?"

"Ready for what?" Willow asked Giles. Oz said to Willow, "I'm in charge of the next step. Acceptance."


End file.
